Singapore weighs daily social media limits as it tightens safeguards for teens

Singapore is considering legislation to introduce stricter safeguards for teenage users of social media platforms in early 2023. Digital Minister Josephine Teo revealed that this could include daily usage limits, aimed at mitigating risks like "stranger danger" and potential harms from features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds.

Platforms that fail to implement these safeguards may have to raise their minimum user age to 18. Singapore currently has a code of practice covering six major platforms, but Teo suggested the new rules could mirror measures agreed upon by Meta in the U.S. settlement, such as defaulting to no autoplay and allowing parents to enable it.

The government is exploring various methods for age verification, acknowledging that a single check might not always suffice and that platforms may need to re-assess users' ages. Drafts of the legislation are expected to mirror Meta's requirement for a two-hour daily usage limit, but Singapore's plan does not dictate a specific number, as the government believes it should remain flexible.

A panel established by Singapore's Health Ministry warned that one in three teenagers aged 15-17 already spends more than three hours a day on social media, and one in six aged 10-24 show signs of problematic use. Singapore plans to enhance age assurance measures in alignment with app store standards, potentially requiring platforms to employ multiple verification methods to ensure accuracy and robustness.